


Becoming Family

by La_pretresse_du_chocolat



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Guilt, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, I love hurting my baby it seems, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, It's just a phrase and it's not addressed but better be safe, Post-All That Remains, Scarecrow's Fear Toxin (DCU), Swearing, Tags Are Hard, every bat is here but only Duke and Dick do something, no betaed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 11:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15629763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/La_pretresse_du_chocolat/pseuds/La_pretresse_du_chocolat
Summary: For Duke working with Nightwing is frustrating but he can't explain why. Maybe a dose of fear toxin can help.





	Becoming Family

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote that while I was stuck on my main fic. 
> 
> I finished this one ...
> 
> But I'm still stuck ...
> 
>  
> 
> The summary suck ...
> 
> Bonne lecture

Duke hated working with Nightwing. Not that he wasn't a great mentor or that he was mean to him. Quite the contrary in fact, frankly The blue hero might be a better teacher than the Bat himself, more patient and pedagogue where Bruce often lacked word Dick had a way to explain even what didn't make sense. Furthermore patrolling with Nightwing didn't feel like patrolling with one of the hideous gargoyles of Gotham.

  
But Nightwing had a way to make him feel incompetent. At first, he thought it was because Nightwing was the first Robin, the true Boy Wonder the perfect child. Honestly once he got to know the man it didn't take long for Duke to find out where the “Goldie” nickname came from. The guy could do basically everything, it was insane. He might not be the best but, except for your own specialty, he would probably beat you in every other subject.  
Once he had understood the true level of Robin, the weight of the legacy, measure up that to the Robin movement was a real lesson of humility. Sometimes he felt grateful to have his own name no legacy to honor and everything to prove.  
But the kindness of Nightwing could have easily outweighed the feeling of inferiority that he inspired. No, it was something else something that only happened with Duke.

He knew that Dick took his role of eldest to heart which sometimes resulted in a bit of fussing but when it came to him it was worse. It was nothing concrete so it was hard to complain to someone but it felt like when they were out together Nightwing was always watching him. He looked somehow more worried when they were together and allowed a lot less fun than when he was with the other members of the Batclan. Maybe Nightwing just didn't like him and was only polite with him? He had heard that Dick was an amazing actor ( another skill to add to the never-ending list).  
So when they patrolled together Duke couldn't help but feel frustrated.

This afternoon he just came back from his solo patrol of the day.  
He was kind of proud that Bruce let him the day patrol. He preferred that part of the day less gruesome crimes and mad villain. He had more time to take care of the living. It felt good to be able to see the improvement he could make to the city and not having to do the same thing, again and again, to arrest the same psycho for the hundredth time only to see all your work destroyed the next night. No wonder half of the bat was depressed.

He stopped his bike next to Red Hood 's. He frowned. Oh yeah the weekly family night, right he always forgets. Means everyone, except with a good excuse, had to be here for dinner ‘til brunch. Of course, everyone patrolled Gotham or Bludhaven in the same time so most of the criminals tended to be quiet. Thus they could have fun, well the vigilantes kind of fun. Sometimes even Batman would join them. Then they would go to fast food and indulge themselves in greasy food that could never enter the manor. It was supposed to be a secret for Alfred but since the post patrol snack was lighter those nights Duke suspected that he knew.  
It was supposed to be fun even if, more often than not, the night turned in a big shouting match. On Dick and Alfred insistence, they honored the tradition every Friday.

This time the shouting even had started early since Dick and Bruce were clearly arguing over something. Probably bat-related since they were in the cave and Bruce preferred keeping personal business out of his sanctuary (not that he succeeded a lot in doing that but, he tried).

“You can’t let him out there without backups !!” he heard Dick said once he was within earshot.

“He has his friends and Alfred can check on him”

“Yeah because at least some people care enough about him to watch his back and make sure that he won't die!”

“He is not alone Dick”

“Of course he is ! you know that having someone watch from the cave is not the same as having someone with you on the field. “

Well, it was clear that they were talking about him. Rude.

Duke cleared his throat to make his presence known.

  
“ Mind if I join the conversation”

  
Dick surprised expression was in itself a little reward.

  
“ Guess since I ‘m the chief concerned party, I should be able to add my opinion in the debate right.” He then turned to Dick and looked at him dead in the eye “ Because honestly what's your problem man. You don't like me? You think I ‘m not good enough to be a bat? Not old enough? I’ m twice as old as you when you started being Robin. You don't get to say what I can or can't do. You're not Batman anymore and you have done nothing to earn the title of brother or family. I’ve been training for a year already. And you weren't here. I’m not the same kid you met and manipulated. So get over it man, I ‘m here and I'm here to stay. “

Okay, he may have been a bit harsh but honestly, this family and its habit to never say what was in their goddamn mind was exhausting.

He didn't wait for Dick reaction and headed to the shower. When he stepped out Bruce was alone by the computer. The cowl down three empty cups of coffee next to him. He looked like he didn't sleep much. Something about Two-Face escaping a few weeks ago. He faced him when Duke stopped next to him. Clearly, he had something in his mind but he stayed silent and went back to work. Oh for fuck sake he had to do everything himself.

“Do you think he is right?”

Bruce stopped writing and sighted. “‘No, he is not. but he is worried “

Oh yeah really because it really didn't look that way.

Bruce faced him again. “You have to give him a chance Duke, I know he is quite Fond of you. He is just struggling with getting his life back after… “  
Bruce didn't finish his sentence. Didn't need to, the guilty look on his face kind of give away what particular mission he was talking about.  
Duke knew he wouldn't get more of the hero. So he quickly finished his report and went upstairs.

The evening was calm and mostly uneventful. Dick avoided him like the pest, and if the other noticed they didn't voice it.

They went back to the cave and got ready to patrol. Duke had half a mind to stay back this time since he already patrolled earlier. but Steph had already started a game of tag and he was it.

As predicted the night was calm. A low night for Gotham. But when finally Tim took pity on him and let him catch him they heard two explosions. Duke groaned: he should have stayed with Alfred. At least they knew where Two-Face was hiding. He took some time for Duke to place the explosion he had yet to become used to locate himself from the rooftop. So in that direction, they were a few banks and the mayor home but the explosion was a lot farther… Oh, shit Arkham Asylum. That was Arkham. Bye bye calm night.  
The Batsignal lighted and his coms came to life.

“Signal do you copy?” Bruce growled.

“yeah uh I copy ?” smooth. It was only his second Arkham breakout and the first time was only because Tim was presumed dead and they were short-handed. He knew Bruce would most likely send him home.

“You're the closest to Nightwing last known position. I ‘m sending you the coordinates.

“Wait I’m not sure that-”

“Batman off”

Great of all the Bat they had a disposition he had to be paired with the one he just had a fight with.

“Nightwing come in” no response. “Nightwing? Can you hear me?” silence still. Duke checked the coordinate that Batman just sent him. It wasn't that far from him, 5 minutes top but it was also awfully close to Arkham.  
No time to complain Nightwing could already be engaged in a battle and would need back up.

He took him 4 minutes to get to the coordinate. No one. of course, Nightwing didn't stay in the same place.

“Penny one?” surely Alfred would be able to track the missing hero from the cave.

  
“Yes, Master Signal?”

  
“Could you tell me where is Nightwing? “

  
He heard taping and a few bip. Then silence more taping and more bip. 

“I’m afraid not sir. Nightwing tracer is offline.” Alfred sounded a little worried about the news. Duke was panicked. How was he supposed to find his partner of the night in this mess? 

“thank you Penny one I will keep you updated”

“please be careful sir”

By now the escapees were bound to have reached that part of the city. Which mean they had to cross the path of the other heroes. So if he was looking for Nightwing the easiest course of action was to look for a fight.  
Suddenly an orange smoke started to leak a few blocks away.  
Duke hated gas, he wanted to run the other way. But innocents were in there and he knew too well what evil concoction could do to one mind. His mask was equipped with a rebreather so he could run right into the danger.

His come came back to life.  
“Signal report” 

“Oracle! Where are the other?! I could use some help here!” 

“there are all otherwise occupied. Where is Nightwing?” 

“I don't know. He might be in the middle of that fog but I’m not sure.”

“Fog? What fog?” 

“the Hell if I know. With the color, I would say Scarecrow but my mask is supposed to send an alert if..” 

“it only works if we already know the composition” 

“great” 

Signal looked around him 

“The streets are empty” it didn't say much most of the Gothamites knew to stay inside in case of breakthroughs. With some luck, the neighborhoods would be healthy enough to have house equipped to prevent the gas from entering.

The silence was unnerving.

 

 

But the scream that broke it was even scarier.

 

 

“Oracle” Signal gulped, “I think I found Nightwing”

It took him no time to find the screaming bat. The silence surrounding him making the scream even more heartbreaking. Nightwing had climbed on top of the highest building of the street. He seemed mostly unhurt but his face was a mix of pain, fear, and sorrow. All those emotions that usually never obscured his face. Or at least not when Duke was here. The protocol for this kind of situation was to approach slowly the infected and to administer the antidote. But he didn't have an antidote. 

“Oracles Nightwing has been gassed.” 

He barely heard the little 'shit' from the other side of the com.  
“I’m sending someone. Try to calm him down in the meantime please don’t move”

Like he could go anywhere with Nightwing in this state.

Okay, don’t panic. Scarecrow wasn’t anywhere in sight. Hopefully, he wasn’t hiding waiting for him to lower his guard and then gaze him (not that it would work right now but his rebreather wouldn’t last eternally either).

Nightwing was hyperventilating next to him. What was the trick already to stop that? Ah yeah, Deep breath. Wait. No. right now maybe deep wasn’t a good idea. Fuck he was panicking.

 

“Nightwing? Can you hear me? Nothing that you see is real. Please you have to calm yourself if you inhale more gas it’s only going to be worse “

 

Would it? Was it like carbon poisoning the more you inhaled the worst it got or maybe it the gas had a full effect as soon as it entered your lug. He hadn’t reached that part of the bat programs yet ! and it was not something that a civilian would put himself through just to know. Anyway, he needed to prevent the acrobat from inhaling more gas just in case.

  
Another cry from Nightwing. Duke tried to ignore the painful twist of his gut. Seeing one of your childhood idols writhe in agony on the ground wasn’t a pleasant experience. Better end it asap.

Since the vigilante wasn’t responding to his voice maybe he should try physical contact. According to the rest of the Batfam Dick graved this kind of attention, coming from a family where the lack of contact could mean a fall to death (maybe now wasn’t right now wasn’t the best time to thought about the Grayson ?). Thought it was a double edged sword depending on if Dick would tap into his Batman training or his circus root in his panic. He would either calm down or lash out and Duke was definitely not ready to handle a scared Nightwing (the ‘I 'm holding back for sparring ‘one was already scary enough).

He approached slowly trying to stay in his partner field of view as to not startle him (not that it mattered a lot since Nightwing had probably is eyes closed and was surely not seeing the reality ). Duke tried to steal his nerves before reaching for Nightwing wrist. Upon touching the hero flinched violently and whimpered

“No p-please d-d-don-don’t t-touch me”

  
Duke preferred not to analyze that statement too much. He tried to reach out once more.

“Nightwing, please it’s Signal “

“D-Don’t come ”

Ok, he started to feel desperate. Where was the help? He couldn’t deal with that alone. A hero under fear toxin was too much trouble: too many hidden baggage to deal with.  
Duke sighed (no deep breath when you're in the middle of an orange cloud fuck he had covered that already !). He looked around to see (not much because you know. ORANGE CLOUD) if anyone was around. The street below was still dead and no movement on the rooftop, which was both a disappointment and a relief.

“Dick” he murmured wincing internally about breaking the no-name in the field rule “it’s just me Duke, I’m not going to hurt you”

“they ‘re all dead “Dick sobbed.

okay, not the response he was expecting but at least the blue hero didn’t try to get away this time. Maybe he had fallen further into the hallucination which if even if it served his purpose right now wasn’t a good thing at all. Trying not to ponder on who exactly was dead Signal gripped Nightwing shoulders and tried to bring him back to reality.

“Dick you have to step out of it! I know you can do it”

A few plead escaped Nightwing lips but it was definitely not English

“I don’t understand “

“Duke? “ Some sparkle of recognition seemed to make their way on the vigilante's face.

Good.

“No, no stay away “

Or not.

okay, this one hurt a little. Would it have been anyone else Nightwing would have accepted the help.

“It’s just me Dick, Duke, the third D? “

the third unnecessary wheels.

Fuck Duke now was not the moment to have an existential crisis, this thing could be addressed later when one of them wasn’t dying from an unhealthy dose of fear toxin (not that a healthy dose existed but that was not the point).

“no no Duke you have to s-stay away, I’m dangerous “

uh? what ? that didn’t make sense. True if you were a criminal Nightwing was to be feared and even among the heroes his anger was notorious. But otherwise, Richard Grayson was one of the kindest soul that Duke had met.

“Of course not”

“nononono you don’t know you don’t understand yet…… ask the other they know... they know. They keep saying it again again again. my fault my fault.”

Duke knew that the robins didn’t always get along (understatement of the year they were always at each other throat ) but even Jason never described his big brother as dangerous (if anything he had said that he was the one that Duke should fear).

But when he opened his mouth to protest he was cut by the first Robin

“ You have…...t-to- to stay away... Duke…... please. I’m ...t toxic. You're going to …….get hurt if….. you stay with me…...like like everyone else. Please …...I can’t ...I can't stand to lose someone else. You have to to “

Never met your idol they say. Indeed it was hard to associate the Always smiling overconfident fearless Nightwing with the man crying in his arms. He should know as a Gothamites, he should know. That was not the first time that someone witnessed one of the Bat under some kind of hallucinogenic drugs. But seeing a photo on the news and seeing it first hand was not the same. Somehow they always looked like they were fighting back even under the influence of the toxin, like they always could get up and win the combat. Not broken like this. You don't want to acknowledge your heroes weakness.

“I’m a failure as….. as a brother. I couldn't protect them. They’ re all ….They’re all dead all be-because of me. If I had been a...a better brother they would s-s-still be alive. If I never entered their life they would still be alive.”

It was hard to say if Dick possessed the big ego or if he was just that good in taking the blame.

“Dick please listen to me none of their death is on you. You couldn't have done anything about them”

“If I hadn't created Robin they would still be alive.”

That was tricky. True they all died in the job so of course if they were not Robin they probably wouldn't have died that way but saying that they would still be alive wasn't necessarily true either. Though he doubted that Dick could listen to this kind of argument in his state.

“You're an amazing big brother Dick “

“No no no no, I’m not I betrayed them. Again and again. I wasn't here for Jason or Steph or Cass when they needed me. I betrayed Tim when I gave Robin to Damian. and Damian gosh I wasn't even here to bring him back. What kind of brother isn't here when his little brother came back to life?”

The real question should be what kind of brother had a little brother who came back to life

“Even you, I barely knew you and I betrayed your trust. If it was not for me your friend would have still been alive. I’m a poison who corrupt everything that it touches. Even my parents, maybe if I wasn't here the cord wouldn't have snapped, maybe without my weight maybe they would still be alive “

  
“Dick you have to stop its the toxin talking not you. You know that sometime thing can't be helped sometimes people die and you can't do anything about it. You told me sometime thing goes wrong and the only thing you can do is move on. “

 

“But if I know that why does it hurt so much? “

 

For once Duke was happy about the emotionless white lense of Nightwing mask because he wasn’t sure he could handle Dick infamous blue eyes right now. Not with the amount of fear and sadness and pain that his voice betrayed.

“I’m supposed to be their net. To catch them when they fall. But I keep letting them down. I’m a defective net with more hole than actual net. I’m worse than no net at all I’m worst because they trust me to catch them so they let their guard down letting themselves fall to their death because they think I’m here to catch them. But I’m never here”

 

“But if you keep looking back you’re never going to catch the people falling in front of you!”

He shouldn’t have shouted. But it was frustrating! Nightwing wasn’t supposed to wallow in self-pity like this if anything it was Bruce job to brood for days on end. Well, he guessed the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. He took a deep breath to calm himself (and fuck the gas).

“ You might not have caught everyone and maybe those were the person you loved the most but if people keep trusting there must be a good reason. And about the Robin movement maybe your solution wasn’t the best solution ‘ Haha he had a lot of opinion about that but not going near that right now ’ But it did save a lot of young people “ Even he could see that much the Robin movement was bound to explode at one point or another. Nightwing had just been one of a lot of (bad) ending possible, and surely not the worst.

“You helped so many people, caught more people than let them fall. But if you’re too afraid to make the next jump that’s over.”

  
“I can’t lose another family member. Duke, I can’t lose you too. I can’t”

  
It was both heartwarming and crushing

 

“You don’t have to. I’m still here”

The tears stuck in his helmet felt unpleasant.

“I’m still here”

 

 

He didn’t hear the soft landing next to them. When he felt the hand on his shoulder he was caught totally off guard and couldn’t riposte.

 

 

  
Thankfully it was only Jason.

  
“Hey kid it’s alright just old me “

He lowered to their level and murmured gently

“ I'm going to help you bring big Bird back to the cave, you did a good job “

 

Why was he talking like he was a scared child?

 

He didn’t protest and helped the Red hood place Nightwing on his back. Then they got out of that damned rooftop. In a dead end the Batmobile. Duke should felt excited it was not that often that he got to take the Batmobile (even after starting working with the Bat). But he just felt drained. They couldn’t put the seatbelt on Dick so he had to stay next to him in the back seat. As soon as he was seated Dick tried to clutch on his armor with little success so Duke offered his hand instead. He tried to ignore the death grip and the sobbing on the way back.

When they entered the cave Alfred took swiftly the matter at hand. With Jason help, he settled Richard on the medbay. Took some blood sample to start working on an antidote and checked for other injuries. During the process, Dick refused to let go of Duke's hand. He was seated next to the bed with the now asleep vigilantes (they were able to give him some sleeping pill once they were sure that it would not react with the toxin) hand still imprisoned in Nightwing’s.

Once the antidote was done Jason came to join him in a seat right next to his own.

“You‘re okay ?”

Duke let out a humorless laugh. He made it through the night without even a scratch but he was the one who wasn’t okay?

Jason caught up on his though  
“Not physically moron I can see that much. I mean mentally I know that Dick can let out some emotional bomb when he is hallucinating. Pretty sure the first time he confessed to Babs was under the influence of some of Ivy pollen”

He would have liked to say that he had responded with a laugh to Jason joke, but what came out instead was an ugly sob. Before the first tear could fall his face was hidden against Jason leather jacket. The smell of cigarette and gunpowder was surprisingly soothing and distracted him from his ugly cries and thought.

When the rest of the family came back his tears were dry. Good thing because they weren’t as lucky as him when it came to injury and Alfred would need help. The end of the night (morning ?) was a blur. Not that he would have liked to remember. The sleep that followed was restless.

 

He woke up to the smell of pancake and bacon. When he came down to the kitchen Jason and Alfred were already preparing the brunch. Jason lack of shirt revealed bandages surely earned last night, that Duke hadn’t noticed. He should be ashamed always be aware of your surrounding had been one of the first lessons Bruce had taught him. He mumbled a quiet good morning and headed to the table.

  
Already seated was a smiling Dick Grayson sipping his too sweet coffee.

Duke swallowed a groan.

“Shouldn’t you still be resting ?”

Dick had the nerve to chuckle

“Well it seems that between us I’m not the one who needs to be resting “

And whose fault was that? His anger must have shown a little on his face cause Grayson looked kinda sheepish. He gestured to the seat next to him in an obvious invitation to come next to him. And because Duke had no pride he did as asked.

They shared an uncomfortable silence. Maybe they should have stuck with avoiding each other.

 

 

Dick was the one to break  
“I’m sorry”

Duke huffed “hardly your fault. “

 

“I’m not talking only about last night fiasco. Though I’m still sorry you had to witness …..that “

  
“Is this really the good time to talk about shouldn’t we wait for a better time? for example when I’m more awake? “ Duke was not mentally prepared for this discussion

 

“I’m not sure it exists a good time for this kind of conversation. Better do it now when I’m still a little high and can’t chicken out”

 

Duke acquiesced.

 

“I don’t want you to think that I don’t judge you fit for the life of vigilantes. I already told you when we met you are talented and you could make a great leader. You know Gotham and its people and you still believe in her. Your kind and patient and you keep your feet on the ground, you’re always looking forward, and you understand what those people going through and honestly, I can still go on and on but my point is I‘m sure that you will make a great hero”

 

“But”

 

“...But I don’t want you to. We keep making the same mistake again and again and the end always the same no matter how many time we try. Even if you don’t see me that way for me you’re already family. And I lost already too many brothers for a city I’m not sure I still believe in. You could be happy leading a normal life with normal problems and a peaceful death”

 

“That’s not what I want”

 

“No, it’s not”

 

“You can’t force me to stop”

 

“I can’t “

 

“Then what ?”

 

“Then I guess I’m going to give it another try. And praying every deity that this time I wouldn’t have to bury someone else”

 

“I’m not going to die”

Richard smile was so sad.  
“I’m not going to stop worrying”

Fair. He would just have to accept that Nightwing babying him didn't mean that he found him incompetent. He could work with what.

They were still a problem to address. He wasn't sure how.

 

"You know that everyone thinks that you are an amazing hero and an amazing brother, right?"

 

Dick was surprised, but still offered his infamous Grayson smile bright as the sun who blinded the mortal, drove the devil away and resurrected the dead.

 

"Does that mean that I earned the title of brother?"

 

Duke chuckled  
"You made some progress but we still need to work on that. But first, you have to answer a question"

 

"Yeah ?"

"Is it true that you asked Barbara out while under sex pollen ?"

 

 

"OMG who said that !! No! I mean I don't remember! who?..... JAAAAASON !!!!"

 

 

 

Soon the rest of the family started filling the room while Jason and Dick were still bickering. They were still exhausted from last night but the animation brought a smile on each face (except Damian ).

The food was perfect as usual and the amount of coffee ingested worrisome.

 

After the brunch, people started coming back to their city preferring to nurse their injuries home.

Jason departure was quick, Steph's loud, Cass' effective, Barbara's normal. Dick was the last one his goodbyes were always the longest. Alfred was supposed to drive him back so it was one less person to embrace. Bruce got the usual manly tap on the back, Tim a quick awkward hug (because avoiding the injury was a real pain in the ass) and Damian had earned a new haircut.

  
Duke didn't really have a ritual with Dick yet so the side hug was a nice surprise.

 

"You should come to Bludh' sometimes"

Duke smirked

"Sure"

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I love writing Duke, not sure if I'm good at it but I still had a lot of fun.  
> In other news, I don't know how to write comfort I tried but failed ^^'
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated and critics even more. I hope you enjoyed and thank you for taking some time to read my work.


End file.
